Some valuable objects, such as jewels or precious metals, may be protected from theft or damage by locking them in vault or safe deposit box. However, for other valuable objects, it may be desirable for the objects to be kept in an open location so that they can be displayed or accessed. For example, it may be desirable to display artworks, such as paintings, sculpture, or fine pottery, antiques, cultural artifacts, or historical artifacts so that they may be readily enjoyed. Also, high quality electronics, such as laptop computers or high-quality audio or video components, should be readily accessible so that they can be used and enjoyed. Locking up artworks and various other valuable objects in safes, vaults, safe deposit boxes, rooms with restricted access, or other secured spaces would diminish the ability to enjoy them.
There are various ways to protect valuable objects without locking them in a vault or safe deposit box. For example, some artworks are locked in protective transparent cases. Additionally, museums may employ motion-based sensors that use lasers, infrared beams, or pressure sensors to detect movement occurring within an unacceptable proximity of the artwork. These sensors trigger an alarm when one or more persons come within a distance that is overly close to an artwork or impermissibly tries to touch or handle the artwork. Wall-mounted objects, such as paintings, may be hung on a device secured to the wall that is sensitive to movement of the painting and that will sound an alarm if the painting were to be lifted from its mounting. Sculptures or other objects that generally rest atop a surface may be protected by one or more pressure-sensitive pads placed beneath the object on a floor, pedestal, or other supporting surface, where the pressure-sensitive pads trigger an alert if the object is lifted from its resting location. Portable, battery-operated motion-sensing devices may be mounted on artworks or other objects that may sound an alarm if the object is moved. Other objects, such as computers, may be protected simply by chaining or otherwise securing them to a desk, table or other fixed structure with a tether, such as a Kensington® lock.
However, existing commercially available systems are not suitable for all uses. For example, it may not be desirable or cost-effective to erect protective cases around artworks. Many motion-based systems using lasers, infrared beams or other methodologies may be too costly or may be impractical for use in homes, offices, small galleries, and other locations. Moreover, in homes, offices, galleries, and some museums, it may be undesirable to keep people at a distance from artworks; it may be desirable to allow visitors or owners to appreciate the work from a close distance.
It also may be undesirable to mount a battery-operated device, such as a battery-powered motion detector, on some types of artworks. Regular replacement of the battery may subject the artwork to an undesirable degree of handling. Moreover, if the batteries were to leak, caustic chemicals seeping from the batteries may cause damage to the artwork to which the battery-powered device is mounted. For sculptures, fine pottery, or other small artworks or precious objects, it may be challenging to attach a battery-powered device to the object.
Finally, many existing systems may simply be aesthetically undesirable. Some devices designed to be attached to an artwork or designed to rest beneath or behind an artwork may detract from the enjoyment of the artwork it is designed to protect.
Thus, it would be desirable to protect an artwork or other valuable object from theft or damage by providing a way to detect movement of the artwork or valuable object indicative of possible theft or other undesired handling of the object, without the requirement of devices that are overly complex, costly, or bulky, that are aesthetically unappealing, or that pose a risk of damage to the artwork or other valuable object.